The present invention relates to heating and cooling duct work and, more particularly, to a duct assembly tool for drawing and clamping two pieces of duct work together.
Generally in the heating and cooling field, duct work is used to convey heated and cooled air. The duct work is normally hung from the building's ceiling or rafters. Generally, the ducts have a circular or rectangular shape, are fabricated from sheet metal material, and range in length from eight to twelve feet long. Particularly in rectangular shaped duct work, the ducts have assembly flanges on each end to enable a cleat to be positioned over the flanges to secure the ducts to one another.
Different types of tools are used to draw duct assembly flanges together in order to enable a cleat to be positioned onto the adjacent duct flanges. Generally when duct work is hung overhead, a gap is created between two adjacent ducts necessitating drawing the ducts together in order that a cleat may be positioned over the flanges to secure the ducts together. Tools for securing duct work and the like together are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,304,818; 2,736,088; 2,882,768; 1,839,255; 2,247,780; 921,973; 2,770,032; 1,877,620; 4,493,130; and 177,010. Also, duct tools are illustrated in the Malco tool catalog designated with reference DS1 and DS2. These tools have several disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the present tools are rigid and require exertion of large amounts of force to draw adjacent duct flanges together to enable a cleat to be positioned over the flanges.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the above art. The present invention enables the user to exert less force to draw two duct flanges together. The present invention provides the art with a tool having pivotal movement of one member with respect to the handle to draw adjacent duct flanges together. The present invention provides the art with a tool that clamps two adjacent ducts together which enables the operator to release the tool freeing his hands for other operations.
The present invention provides the art with a new and improved duct assembly tool. The present invention includes an elongated frame member; a member pivotably secured to the frame member; and a pair of wheels positioned on the frame and second members. One wheel is rotatably secured to the frame member and the other wheel is rotatably secured to the second member. The frame member is in a first position such that the wheels are positioned behind the two adjacent duct flanges. The frame member is pivoted, with respect to the pivot member, to a second position where adjacent duct assembly flanges are drawn and clamped together to enable positioning of a cleat over the flanges to secure adjacent ducts to one another.
From the subsequent description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art.